Creaking on climbs! Yikes...

[VeloVT]

My bike has developed a nasty creak. It only shows up only when I'm either standing to climb (when it's pretty darn steep and I'm working hard) or when I'm standing to sprint or accelerate on the flats. Seems to happen once a pedal revolution, on the left. Doesn't happen when I'm seated, even in a big gear, pedaling hard. It's not a click, a squeak or a tick, it's a bad creak -- and I can actually feel it a little (but it's not a chain skip or something like that, it's coming from the cranks or the frame).

It sure sounds like it's coming from the bottom bracket, which I replaced two months ago. I'm neither terribly heavy (125) nor outrageously strong, and I haven't put on crazy mileage in that time, so I can't imagine I'd go through a bb that fast...

I checked the headset bolt, even though it doesn't seem to be coming from that part of the bike, and it was/is appropriately tightened.

I'm probably going to bring it in to the shop this weekend, but any ideas what I should be prepared for? (Please tell me I don't need a new bb again already...). Or if there's an easy fix I could do?

Thanks!!!!

[KnottedYet]

Sounds like a BB issue. With such recent work on it, I'd ask the LBS to take care of it gratis.

[SouthernBelle]

I was getting terrible squeak & rattle that turned out to be accumulated crude on my cassette. This was despite my consistent cleaning. Had to be scraped off. Washing wouldn't get it. I now give it the occasional sprtiz with wheel cleaner like you use on your car.

[VeloVT]

Hmmm... I just cleaned my drivetrain, which was pretty grimy... but this is not a rattle or a squeak, or a grinding sound -- it's a load creak or groan, along with a very slight shuddering sensation (but again, it's definitely not the chain, it's not skipping/slipping, I don't get slack or lose pressure on the pedals).

This has only been happening for my last two rides, but it's consistent and predictable -- each time I climb hard or stand to sprint in a high gear it happens. It's actually such a nasty sound that I'm very hesitant to ride this bike again until I know what's wrong with it. (Thank goodness for having more than one bike).

[cwodiva]

My first bike, about a year after I got it, a trek 1000, creaked when I went up hills standing, or when I was standing. I kept taking it into the bike shop and they couldn't find anything wrong. Finally they flipped the bike over and found a small crack in the frame underneath. The creak was the sound of the aluminum frame pieces rubbing together. Trek replaced the frame for free, which was really great.

Have them check your frame really well.

[KnottedYet]

EEEK! Frame! Oooh, take it to the LBS and keep us posted. (and maybe you shouldn't ride it until they figure it out)

[Eden]

It may not be as dire as that! I find that every once in a while I need to release the rear wheel quick release and retighten it or I develop a creak/tick that is more apparent when standing and in hot temps. I thought it sounded like the BB at first too, which was totally scary and the thought of tearing up the BB on my carbon race bike and ruining it was freaking me out, so I was very happy to find it was as easy as retightening the rear wheel.

[Starfish]

It could be as dire as the frame, or not much, as Eden indicated. I don't know much about all this stuff, except that I also experienced a nasty creak under heavy load with rotation of cranks last summer. I took the bike in for a basic overhaul, rather than just the little yearly tune-up, and they didn't really discover the problem, but the overhaul took the creak away, too. No problem since.

[DebW]

Ask your LBS to check the tightness of your BB and crank arms. They should be checked and retightened after a few rides when they've been replaced.

[VeloVT]

Well, I think everything's going to be ok. phew! The mechanic took out the bottom bracket and regreased it, and apparently the left crankarm and pedal were a little loose too.

Didn't charge me for it, which really surprised me, given that pulling out the bb is a fair amount of labor. He said that whoever installed the bb (which was done at the same shop) had used a grease that was way too light and not appropriate for the bb, and when he regreased it he used a much heavier grease, so I shouldn't be charged for correcting their mistake... he said the creaking could have come from the insufficiently greased bb, or the somewhat loose crankarm/pedal, hard to say...

Now I just hope that I didn't unknowingly cause a lot of extra wear and tear on the bb...

[Aggie_Ama]

Eden- My DH had the same problem with his front wheel. The wrench at the LBS said it was bizarre but he keeps seeing it over and over on Mavic wheels. Sure enough everytime it starts DH loosen the quick release, tightens back up and the creak is gone.